DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO  Former San Diego mayoral candidate David Alvarez has received a $2,000 fine for campaign violations stemming from the November special election.

The Ethics Commission unanimously approved the penalty Thursday night against the Alvarez campaign for distributing two mail pieces that didn’t properly display the “paid for by” disclosure as required by city law.

The campaign sent a mailer produced by consultant Mission Control Inc. to about 47,000 residents on Oct. 21 that had a “Paid for by David Alvarez for Mayor” disclosure in black letters against a dark blue ground that made it difficult to read. The law requires that the text and background be of contrasting colors to make it easily distinguishable.

A second piece of campaign material — postcards distributed to city residents in mid-November — had its “paid for by” disclosure in 8-point type. The law requires at least 12-point type.

Mission Control Inc. acknowledged its mistake during the Ethics Commission probe and agreed to pay its portion of the fine, which was $1,500. Alvarez paid the remaining $500.

Stephen Heverly, Alvarez's campaign spokesman, released a statement Friday. "As the stipulation documents state, we worked productively with the Ethics Commission and the issue is resolved," he said.

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Alvarez, a first-term Democratic councilman, finished second in the Nov. 19 special election behind Republican Councilman Kevin Faulconer and ahead of Qualcomm executive Nathan Fletcher, also a Democrat.

Faulconer then defeated Alvarez in Tuesday’s runoff and will take office next month.

Stacey Fulhorst, executive director of the Ethics Commission, said she understands that some may question the timing of the fine just two days after the election. She said the commission doesn’t rush or delay its decisions based on election dates and that once the Alvarez investigation was completed it was docketed for the panel’s next regularly scheduled meeting.

Fulhorst also said the reason for the fine is clear.

“The reason why these disclosure laws are important is because I’ve been told by a host of voters who are not involved in politics is that the most important thing to them is who paid for a political advertisement,” Fulhorst said.